Fender Silent System Stratocaster hum reduction, Digi Mart USA News: Fender has introduced a new Silent System designed to reduce the mains hum that single-coil electric guitars pick up, according to a review published by New Atlas. The system is fitted to the Limited Edition American Professional Classic Stratocaster, which the reviewer received for testing.
Single-coil pickups sense changes in the magnetic field from vibrating strings, but they also pick up electromagnetic interference from mains power, producing a buzz at 60 Hz in the USA and 50 Hz in Europe and Australia. Humbucker pickups cancel this hum but are described in the review as having a different, midrange-heavy tone compared with single coils.
The Silent System uses an extra coil in a plastic housing with no magnets, housed in a cavity routed into the body. Because it has no magnet, it picks up mainly room noise, which is subtracted from the pickup signal.
According to Fender Director of Product Allen Abbassi, the coil is wider and deeper than any pickup the company makes, which allows a larger gauge magnet wire to help preserve high-end response.
The reviewer reported that the system noticeably reduced power-cycle hum compared with two humbucker-equipped guitars and that the added definition at high gain was notable. Fender has not announced whether the system will appear on other high-end Strats and Abbassi said there are no plans for an aftermarket kit.
The limited edition model is priced at US$1,599 in the USA and AU$2,799 in Australia, and the Silent System adds US$100 (AU$200) over the standard model without the system, according to the review. The reviewer also noted that Fender’s Noiseless pickups remain part of the company’s lineup, with Abbassi describing them as a valid alternative.
